Peters



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IMPROVEMENT 'IN STEAM-ENGINE' PISTONS.

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TO ALL WHOM vIT` MAY. CONCER-N:

De it known that I, JEROME WHEELOUH, ot Worcester, in the county of Worcester, and State of Massachuseits, have invented a new and improved Piston for Steam Engines', and I do hereby declare that the following is n full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make und use the szimereference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specification, iu which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the piston.

.Figure 2 is a central axial section of the same.

,liigure 3 is a plan or face view.

Figure 4 is the sume view with the piston-rodremoved. A

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to that class oi' pistons which are made solid or without a movable follower, and are provided with annular grooves for the purposcot' receiving segmental or other packing rings, which lit into said grooves, and are sot out and held out against the inner surface of the cylinder by the action of steam or suitable springs provided for that' purpose. .The invention consists in combining with a piston, which is cast or made hollow, stay-bolts or braces, which pass through and are secured to, and mutually support each cf the plates of the piston-head; it consists further in constructing the centre hole, through which the piston-rod passes, of such a shape that, when the piston is used in a horizontal engine, the piston-red can be adjusted and kept at all times in the centre of the cylinder; it also consists in making a slot in the end of the piston-rod which is secured to the piston-head for the purpose hereinafter more fully explained. A

A represents a metallic piston-head, which is fitted loosely to the bore of the engine cylinder. This head is provided with annular grooves on the periphery, into which are fitted suitable packing rings which operate in a manner to prevent the escape of steam before having donc its work. B is a piston-rod, one end of which passes through theA hole C in the piston-head A, and is secured thereto by the nut D. E E E Ei are stay-bolts or braces which pass through each of the plates of the' piston-head and are provided with screw-threads on each end which correspond with and {t into threads cut in said plates. These braces are intended to support the plates but do not draw them together, as the lead of the screw on each end of the bolts is the same. It

being necessary for. the bolts to passentirely through from one plate to the other, that part of the bolt which is in the interior of the piston is reduced so as to pass through thc holes freely. lVhcn the bolts are screwed into place, the ends which project slightly through the plates are riveted over, thus making a steam-tightjoint and preventing themy from casually turning from their places. It will he seen that these bolts perform the double purpose of bracing the piston and stopping thcholes which must necessarily be left in the plates that the core or interior part of the mould may be removed from the casting. The end of the rod which passes through the piston-head is provided with a collar, situated` at a proper distance from Athe end, which forms a suitableabutment for one side or-face of the piston, which is pressed up againstsaid collar and held firm by the nut D on the oppositeside. The hole G is made of an oblong shape, or, in other words, it is made larger up and down so that the piston-rod may be adjusted, as the piston wears, from the centre line of the cylinder by suitable chips placedju the space between the'rod and lower surface ofthe h ole. As the piston is not liable to wear on the sides, therod can be made to nearly fill the hole horizontally, I.so that when said rod is in proper position up and down it is sure to be in the @entre of the cylinder. As the nut D may remain a long time in position without being removed and vthereby liable to stick er become rigid on the rod, I make a slot in the end of the rod over which the nut D is screwed. The object of this slot is that when the nut becomes fasten the rod and an extra strain is necessary to start said nut, the end of the rod will become compressed and allow the nut to unscrew. In'cases where this arrangement is` used with steam from bad or salt water and the slot liable to become Iilled up or corroded, a cap-nut or other suitable covering may be'used to cover the end of the rod, but in ordinaryvcases it will not be found necessary. i

I have shown my piston with a recess on each side, for the purpose of receiving the collar on the one side und the nut on the opposite side, but when the cylinder is of sufticient length the collar and nut may draw up against the outside of the plates. By this arrangement a piston is obtained which is extremely light, is con structed of' few parts, andnt the least possible expense, and is very strong and durable.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination f stay-bolts E E E E with a piston-head, substantially in the manner herein described.

2. A piston constructed with a'n oblong hole or aperturertllrough its centre to receive the piston-rod, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

3. The slot in the piston-rod B, when used for the purpose of relieving the nut, in the manner substantially usgliown and described.

JEROME WHEELOOIL Witnesses:

Giles. WILDER, G. A. SoUrHxvrcK 

